Have you ever sat down to rewatch Revenge of the Sith and found yourself scratching your head during the Obi-Wan vs. General Grievous fight?
There I was, popcorn in hand, thinking, “Isn’t this the guy who’s supposed to be the Jedi Slayer? What’s with the quick exit?” So, let me take you through why Grievous, despite his collection of lightsabers and that terrifying cough, didn’t quite measure up to our dear Obi-Wan.
Table of Contents
1. Grievous Was Already Wounded When Revenge of the Sith Began
The reason why Grievous struggled against Obi-Wan on Utapau and had to retreat wasn’t just about skill—he was already injured before Revenge of the Sith even began.
At the start of the movie, we see Anakin and Obi-Wan fighting over Coruscant to rescue Chancellor Palpatine, who had been kidnapped by General Grievous. But during that kidnapping mission, Grievous didn’t escape unscathed. He was actually injured by Mace Windu, and that damage carried over into his battle with Obi-Wan later.
To clear up any confusion, we need to go back to the Battle of Coruscant. While the droids launched their assault, Grievous was focused on capturing Palpatine. The Jedi had assigned Shaak Ti to protect him, but despite their efforts, Grievous managed to defeat her and take Palpatine aboard his flagship, the Invisible Hand.
At this point, Grievous thought the mission was a complete success. But just as he was heading back to his ship, Mace Windu intervened. Using the Force, Windu crushed Grievous’s chest, badly injuring him.
If you pay attention at the start of Revenge of the Sith, when Grievous is giving orders on his cruiser, you can hear him coughing constantly. That’s because of the damage he took from Windu. This moment was actually shown in the Clone Wars microseries from 2003, which depicted exactly how Grievous got injured during the Battle of Coruscant.
By the time he fought Obi-Wan on Utapau, Grievous still hadn’t fully recovered from the damage. That’s why he couldn’t fight at his best and had to retreat—despite being one of the deadliest Jedi killers in the galaxy.
2. Obi-Wan: The Soresu Maestro
When we look at the battle of Utapau, it’s clear that no amount of training could have saved Grievous from Obi-Wan’s mastery of Soresu. Dooku had turned Grievous into a terrifying Jedi killer, drilling him in every lightsaber form and refining his relentless, offensive style. But none of that mattered against Obi-Wan, who was the perfect counter to Grievous.
Soresu, the defensive form, was built for outlasting aggressive opponents, and Obi-Wan used it flawlessly.
We can see how Obi-Wan doesn’t waste movement, blocking every one of Grievous’s wild, spinning attacks while keeping his footing strong. Grievous, on the other hand, burns through his own energy, attacking relentlessly but never breaking through Kenobi’s defense.
3. Underestimation and Overconfidence
Grievous strutted into battle with the swagger of someone who’s collected Jedi lightsabers like they’re going out of style, thinking Obi-Wan would just be another notch on his belt. Big mistake.
His overconfidence blinded him to the reality of Obi-Wan’s skill set. It’s like showing up to a gunfight with a fancy sword, only to realize your opponent is a sharpshooter who doesn’t miss.
Grievous underestimated Obi-Wan, and in the world of lightsaber duels, underestimating your opponent is pretty much asking to be on the losing side of history.
So, What’s the Real Scoop Here?
Alright, breaking it down: why did General Grievous seem to fumble the ball so badly against Obi-Wan?
First off, Grievous was practically wheezing his way through the fight – not exactly in tip-top shape due to some previous Jedi-inflicted injuries. But there’s another layer here: Grievous strutted into battle oozing overconfidence, convinced he could take down any Jedi, Obi-Wan included. Big miscalculation.
And then, he faced Obi-Wan Kenobi, not just any Jedi, but a master of defense. In essence, Grievous’s big moment turned into a bit of a flop because, well, he bit off more than he could chew.
He brought his A-game, sure, but Obi-Wan’s defense was on another level – a level Grievous couldn’t hack, especially not with his health issues and his overinflated confidence clouding his judgment.
So, between his less-than-stellar health, an overestimation of his own abilities, and going up against the Jedi equivalent of a defensive wall, it was hardly a fair fight.
It’s like trying to sprint with a sprained ankle while also blindfolded; you’re not going to break any records, and you’re definitely not outrunning someone who’s in peak condition and can see the finish line clearly.
